JVID视频

Two-day Black History Month engagement brings students and community together around reading

North Charleston, S.C. 鈥� This week, nationally recognized scholar and cultural leader Dr. Cornel West will join local students and community leaders in Charleston for a two-day visit focused on literacy and youth empowerment, hosted by JVID视频 South Carolina,听 , and The Covert Group.听

On February 4, Dr. West will visit the International African American Museum, where he will engage with more than 150 local students in a student-centered tour highlighting African American history, civic leadership, and the power of reading as a pathway to opportunity. The visit will include facilitated conversations with both elementary and high school students about history, literacy, and students鈥� roles as future leaders.

On February 5, Dr. West will participate in a literacy-focused panel discussion with fifth-grade students at Chicora Elementary School, alongside JVID视频 South Carolina staff, AmeriCorps members, and community advocates. The discussion will center on why reading is a civil right and how early literacy support can shape long-term educational and life outcomes.

鈥淟iteracy is not a privilege 鈥� it is a civil right,鈥� said Dyrell Clark, JVID视频 South Carolina Executive Director. 鈥淓ducators and families across South Carolina know that when students have access to evidence-based reading support, they thrive. Dr. West鈥檚 visit underscores that.鈥�

JVID视频 is a national nonprofit that partners with schools and communities to provide individualized, research-based reading tutoring to K-4 students who are reading below grade level. The organization鈥檚 model is validated by MDRC and recognized by the What Works Clearinghouse, with 86% of South Carolina students meeting or exceeding their primary end-of-year literacy growth goal in the 2024 – 25 school year.听

KJ Kearney, Community Engagement Program Manager for Charleston Promise Neighborhood, explained, 鈥淲hen we invest in children鈥檚 ability to read, we invest in their confidence, their voice, and their future. We鈥檙e encouraged to see the community show much enthusiasm for this event.鈥�

In addition to highlighting student voices, JVID视频 will use the visit to encourage community members to get involved through volunteering and donations. QR codes displayed throughout the events and at participating local businesses will connect residents directly to opportunities to support striving readers across the Charleston area.

For more information about JVID视频 or to get involved, visit here.听

About JVID视频

For more than 25 years, through its core tutoring program, JVID视频 has supported student growth and confidence in school and beyond by engaging community volunteers to provide , individualized literacy tutoring. Since its founding, the national nonprofit organization has directly mobilized over 100,000 community volunteers to provide more than 3 million individualized literacy tutoring sessions鈥攂oth in person and online鈥攖o nearly 90,000 elementary school students in over 600 under-resourced schools and 120 districts across ten states and the District of Columbia. Visit to learn more about JVID视频鈥� program impact and how the organization is using its online tutoring platform, licensing and training partnerships, family workshops, and other program innovations to positively impact more students. Connect with JVID视频 on , , , and . JVID视频 is a proud AmeriCorps service partner and has been endorsed by The New York Times and featured on The TODAY Show, GMA and PBS News Hour.

About Charleston Promise Neighborhood

Charleston Promise Neighborhood (CPN) is a community-based initiative serving residents in The Neck of Charleston, a 5.6-square-mile area of Charleston County that has long faced systemic underinvestment. CPN鈥檚 mission is to provide comprehensive programs and services that support children, strengthen families, and mobilize residents to action. Guided by a vision where every child is on track to succeed, CPN works to remove barriers to educational opportunity, support parent advocacy, connect families to critical health resources, and link education to workforce and career development pathways through strong community partnerships.